text:
Custom Series
Depth & Space
Spa Boy®
The most advanced Automated Water Care System is available on this hot tub!
Health Canada PMRA Registration number: 32253
Water Volume:
334 US Gallons / 1264 litres
Height: 104cm / 41″
Width: 217cm / 85″
Length: 217cm / 85″
Seats: 6
Capacity: 6
Space and comfort abound in this spa with one of the largest 7' footwells in the industry.
Now featuring His and Hers Shuttle Seats with with 2 more corner buckets and bench seating for a great combination of comfort and capacity for any family.
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*Models displayed are representative of colors ONLY and may not be the model described.
Standard Features
Arctic Spas come with a range of features as standard!
Click any of the features below to find out more about them!
Optional Features
The ability to customize an Arctic Spa is one of the best features of the brand.
Choose exactly what you want and need.


text:
Radiangames is the most astounding indie developer on the Xbox 360, progressing from making a pretty Geometry Wars clone in May to pumping out three lovely and unusual new shooters since then. Now we get "Fluid."
Radiangames' Luke Schneider describes Fluid as "Pac-Man meets Trials HD," which made no sense until the trailer started playing. Looks good!
You can download the $1 game from the Xbox 360's Indie Games Channel, where it launched yesterday after passing peer review.
The new game follows May's Geometry Wars-esque Joy Joy, July's tops-turvy shooter Crossfire, and September's twin-stick shooter / action-RPG Inferno. Each for a buck, including Fluid.
Impressive, Radiangames. Keep it up.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|Oracle® Real Application Clusters Deployment and Performance Guide
10g Release 1 (10.1)
Part Number B10768-02
|View PDF
This chapter describes how to monitor Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) performance and includes the following topics:
Automatic Workload Repository in Real Application Clusters Environments
Monitoring RAC Statistics and Events
See Also:Chapter 4, "Monitoring Performance with Oracle Enterprise Manager" for information about monitoring RAC performance with Oracle Enterprise Manager
All single-instance Oracle database tuning practices apply to applications running on RAC databases. Therefore, implement the single-instance tuning methodologies described in Oracle Database Performance Tuning Guide.
The interconnect and internode communication protocols can affect Cache Fusion performance. In addition, the interconnect bandwidth, its latency, and the efficiency of the IPC protocol determine the speed with which Cache Fusion processes block transfers.
Once your interconnect is operative, you cannot significantly influence its performance. However, you can influence an interconnect protocol's efficiency by adjusting the IPC buffer sizes.
See Also:Your vendor-specific interconnect documentation for more information about adjusting IPC buffer sizes
Although you should rarely need to set the
CLUSTER_INTERCONNECTS parameter, you can use it
to assign a private network IP address or NIC as in the following example:
If you are using an operating system-specific vendor IPC protocol, then the trace information may not reveal the IP address. However, Oracle uses the correct network interface based on the use of vendor-specific IPC libraries.
Note:You can also use the
oifcfg command as described in the Oracle Real Application Clusters Administrator's Guide to assign private network or private IP addresses.
Each instance has a set of instance-specific views. You can also query global dynamic performance views to retrieve performance information from all of the qualified instances. Global dynamic performance view names are prefixed with GV$. A global view contains all columns from its respective instance-specific view as well as the
INST_ID column. The instance number is also appended to the names of the archived redo log threads to create a unique identifier for each instance's archived redo logs.
See Also:Oracle Database Reference for restrictions on GV$ views and complete descriptions of related parameters and views
Creating Real Application Clusters Data Dictionary Views with CATCLUST.SQL
If you did not create your RAC database with the Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA), then you must run the
CATCLUST.SQL script to create RAC-related views and tables. You must have
SYSDBA privileges to run this script.
See Also:Oracle Real Application Clusters Installation and Configuration Guide for more information about creating your RAC database
This section provides an overview of the V$ and GV$ views that provide statistics that you can use evaluate block transfers in your cluster. Use these statistics to analyze interconnect block transfer rates as well as the overall performance of your RAC database.
RAC-specific statistics appear as message request counters or as timed statistics. Message request counters include statistics showing the number of certain types of block mode conversions. Timed statistics reveal the total or average time waited for read and write I/O for particular types of operations.
In RAC environments, each Automatic Workload Repository (AWR) snapshot captures data from all active instances within the cluster. The data for each snapshot set that is captured for all active instances is from the same point in time. In addition, the data for each instance is stored separately and is identified with an instance identifier. For example, the
buffer_busy_wait statistic shows the number of buffer waits on each instance. AWR does not store data that is aggregated from across the entire cluster. In other words, the data is stored for each individual instance.
This section explains wait events and statistics specific to RAC and how to interpret them when assessing performance data generated by the Automatic Workload Repository, Statspack, or by ad-hoc queries of the dynamic performance views.
See Also:Oracle Database Performance Tuning Guide for more information about wait event analysis and the
spdoc.txt file for details about the Statspack utility.
The statistics snapshots generated by AWR and Statspack can be evaluated by producing reports displaying summary data such as load and cluster profiles based on regular statistics and wait events gathered on each instance.
Most of the relevant data is summarized on the RAC Statistics Page. This information includes:
Global cache efficiency percentages—workload characteristics
Global cache and Enqueue Service (GES)—messaging statistics
Additional RAC-related sections appear later in the report:
Analyzing and interpreting what sessions are waiting for is an important method to determine where time is spent. In RAC, the wait time is attributed to an event which reflects the exact outcome of a request. For example, when a session on an instance is looking for a block in the global cache, it does not know whether it will receive the data cached by another instance or whether it will receive a message to read from disk. The wait events for the global cache now convey precise information and waiting for global cache blocks or messages is:
Summarized in a broader category called Cluster Wait Class
Temporarily represented by a placeholder event which is active while waiting for a block, for example:
gc current block request
gc cr block request
Attributed to precise events when the outcome of the request is known, for example:
gc current block 3-way
gc current block busy
gc cr block grant 2-way
In summary, the wait events for RAC convey information valuable for performance analysis. They are used in Automatic Database Diagnostic Monitor (ADDM) to enable precise diagnostics of the impact of cache fusion.
In order to determine the amount of work and cost related to inter-instance messaging and contention, examine block transfer rates, remote requests made by each transaction, the number and time waited for global cache events as described under the following headings:
The effect of accessing blocks in the global cache and maintaining coherency is represented by
The Global Cache Service statistics for current and cr blocks, for example, gc current blocks received, gc cr blocks received, and so on)
The Global Cache Service wait events, for gc current block 3-way, gc cr grant 2-way, and so on.
The response time for cache fusion transfers is determined by the messaging and processing times imposed by the physical interconnect components, the IPC protocol and the GCS protocol. It is not affected by disk I/O factors other than occasional log writes. The cache fusion protocol does not require I/O to data files in order to guarantee cache coherency and RAC inherently does not cause any more I/O to disk than a non-clustered instance.
This section describes how to monitor Global Cache Service performance by identifying data blocks and objects which are frequently used ("hot") by all instances. High concurrency on certain blocks may be identified by Global Cache Service wait events and times.
The following wait events indicate that the access to cached data blocks was held up because they were busy either in the remote or the local cache, respectively:
gc current block busy
gc current block 2-way busy
gc current block 3-way busy
gc cr block 2-way busy
gc cr block 3-way busy
This means that the blocks were pinned or held up by sessions or delayed by a log write on a remote instance (for example, gc current, cr 2-way busy, or cr 3-way busy), or that a session on the same instance is already accessing a block which is in transition between instances and the current session needs to wait behind it (for example, gc current block busy).
The V$
SESSION_WAIT view to identify objects and data blocks with contention. The gc wait events contain the file and block number for a block request in p1 and p2, respectively.
An additional segment statistic, gc buffer busy, has been added to quickly determine the "busy" objects without recourse to the query on V$SESSION_WAIT mentioned earlier.
The AWR infrastructure provides a view of active session history which can also be used to trace recent wait events and their arguments. It is therefore useful for hot block analysis.
Most of the reporting facilities used by AWR and Statspack contain the object statistics and cluster wait class category, so that sampling of the views mentioned earlier is largely unnecessary.
It is advisable to run ADDM on the snapshot data collected by the AWR infrastructure to obtain an overall evaluation of the impact of the global cache. The advisory will also identify the busy objects and SQL highest cluster wait time.
This section describes how to monitor Global Cache Service performance by identifying objects read and modified frequently and the service times imposed by the remote access. Waiting for blocks to arrive may constitute a significant portion of the response time, in the same way that reading from disk could increase the block access delays, only that cache fusion transfers in most cases are faster than disk access latencies.
The following wait events indicate that the remotely cached blocks were shipped to the local instance without having been busy, pinned or requiring a log flush:
gc current block 2-way
gc current block 3-way
gc cr block 2-way
gc cr block 3-way
The object statistics for gc current blocks received and gc cr blocks received enable quick identification of the indexes and tables which are shared by the active instances. As mentioned earlier, creating an ADDM analysis will, in most cases, point you to the SQL statements and database objects that could be impacted by inter-instance contention.
Note:You must run Statspack at level 7 to collect statistics related to block contention and segment block waits.
Any increases in the average wait times for the events mentioned earlier could be caused by the following:
High load: CPU shortages, long run queues, scheduling delays
Misconfiguration: using public instead of private interconnect for message and block traffic
If the average wait times are acceptable and no interconnect or load issues can be diagnosed, then the accumulated time waited can usually be attributed to a few SQL statements which need to be tuned to minimize the number of blocks accessed.
The column
CLUSTER_WAIT_TIME in
V$SQLAREA represents the wait time incurred by individual SQL statements for global cache events and will identify the SQL which may need to be tuned.
Most global cache wait events that show a high total time as reported in the AWR and Statspack reports or in the dynamic performance views are normal and may present themselves as the top database time consumers without actually indicating a problem. This section describes the most important and frequent wait events that you should be aware of when interpreting performance data.
If user response times increases and a high proportion of time waited is for global cache (gc), then the cause should be determined. Most reports include a breakdown of events sorted by percentage of the total time.
It is useful to start with an ADDM report, which would analyze the routinely collected performance statistics with respect to their impact and point to the objects and SQL contributing most to the time waited, and then move on to the more detailed reports produced by AWR and Statspack.
The most important wait events for RAC include various categories, such as:
gc current block 2-way
gc current block 3-way
gc cr block 2-way
gc cr block 3-way
gc current grant 2-way
gc cr grant 2-way
gc current block busy
gc cr block busy
gc current buffer busy
gc current block congested
gc cr block congested
The block-oriented wait event statistics indicate that a block was received as either the result of a 2-way or a 3-way message, that is, the block was sent from either the resource master requiring 1 message and 1 transfer, or was forwarded to a third node from which it was sent, requiring 2 messages and 1 block transfer.
These events are usually the most frequent in the absence of block contention and the length of the wait is determined by the time it takes on the physical network, the time to process the request in the serving instances and the time it takes for the requesting process to wake up after the block arrives.
The average wait time and the total wait time should be considered when being alerted to performance issues where these particular waits have a high impact. Usually, either interconnect or load issues or SQL execution against a large shared working set can be found to be the root cause.
The message-oriented wait event statistics indicate that no block was received because it was not cached in any instance. Instead a global grant was given, allowing the requesting instance to read the block from disk or modify it.
If the time consumed by these events is high, then it may be assumed that the frequently executed SQL causes a lot of disk I/O (in the event of the cr grant) or that the workload inserts a lot of data and needs to find and format new blocks frequently (in the event of the current grant).
The contention-oriented wait event statistics indicate that a block was received which was pinned by a session on another node, was deferred because a change had not yet been flushed to disk or because of high concurrency, and therefore could not be shipped immediately. A buffer may also be busy locally when a session has already initiated a cache fusion operation and is waiting for its completion when another session on the same node is trying to read or modify the same data. High service times for blocks exchanged in the global cache may exacerbate the contention, which can be caused by frequent concurrent read and write accesses to the same data.
The load-oriented wait events indicate that a delay in processing has occurred in the GCS, which is usually caused by high load, CPU saturation and would have to be solved by additional CPUs, load-balancing, offloading processing to different times or a new cluster node.For the events mentioned, the wait time encompasses the entire round trip from the time a session starts to wait after initiating a block request until the block arrives.


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Music Library Audio/Visual Collection
The Music Library's collection of sound and video recordings circulates to all patrons with either a OneCard or a UNC Borrower's Card. Audio/Visual materials MUST be returned directly to the Music Library during open hours.
Music Library Audio/Visual Loan Periods
Audio/Visual materials may be renewed online up to 3 times.
Sound and Video Recordings:
All patrons with a OneCard or UNC Borrower's Card: 30 days ($1.00/day overdue fine)
Music Library items that come with supplementary materials, like parts with a score, a CD accompanying a book, or multiple disc sets, are considered part of the item. An item is not considered returned until all of its parts have been returned: a score returned without its parts will remain checked out to the patron until all parts are returned. If parts are lost, the entire score must be replaced or a replacement fee must be paid; the same applies to sound and video recordings with multiple discs.
Music Course Reserve items (books and scores only) may be checked out overnight within the last 2 hours the Music Library is open on a given day, to be returned within the first hour we are next open. Hourly overdue fines ($1/hr) apply.
Rare Book and Music (Vault) Materials
Music rare materials are identified in the library catalog by the location Music Library Vault or Music Library Vault Folio. Use the Request button feature in the catalog records to request access to rare items. Once retrieved, they can be used in the Special Collections Research Room on the 2nd floor of Wilson Library.
By borrowing library materials you are agreeing to pay any fine or fee that is charged for materials that are returned late, damaged or lost.
Loan Policies for Printed Materials (Books, Printed Music, etc)
Most libraries in the UNC University Libraries system have the same basic policies for book checkout and renewal.
Faculty: 180 days
Graduate Students: 90 days
Undergraduate Students: 30 days
UNC Staff: 30 days
Non-affiliated Borrowers: 30 days
Loan Policies Exceptions for Specific Libraries
The Undergraduate Library, Health Sciences Library, Law Library and Journalism (Park) Library circulate books for 30 days regardless of the user's affiliation.
Physical course reserve materials have varying loan policies dependent on the reserve location.
Media Resources Center lends materials to all faculty, students, staff, and anyone with a UNC Borrower's Card. Videocassettes and DVDs are due three days after check out. Compact Discs are due one week after check out.
Most books from the Highway Safety Research Center, North Carolina Collection, Rare Book Collection, and Southern Folklife Collection, cannot be checked out. For availability check the catalog. For specific loan periods see the individual library or collection.
School of Government Library lends materials to all faculty, students, staff, and North Carolina residents with proper identification for 30 days. The library lends materials to School of Government faculty for one year.
Items that are not on hold for another patron or on course reserves may be renewed online through the My Library page. All borrowers except UNC faculty are limited to three online renewals. Books which have been renewed online three times may be brought back to the Library and renewed in person, which will reset the online renewal count. Circumstances such as book recalls, outstanding fines, or an expired Borrower's Card may prevent online renewal.
Recalls and Holds
If a book is checked out you may request to have it put on hold or recalled in person or by using the Interlibrary Loan/ Carolina BLU Document Delivery system. See more information about recalls and hold.
Returning Books
Books may be returned to any library on campus.
Specialty items such as media, equipment and course reserves materials should be returned to the library where they were checked out. Media items returned to another location will get delivered back to the correct library, but they will not be checked in and cleared from the borrower's account until the owning library processes their return. The borrower is responsible for any additional fines that accrue until the item is checked in at the owning library.
Library patrons are expected to return or renew items by their due dates. Due dates are set at the time of checkout, renewal, or recall. Patrons may confirm due dates at any time and renew items online via My Library. The library sends courtesy reminders by email but does not recommend relying solely on email reminders to keep track of due dates.
Overdue Book Fines
The grace period for standard book loans is three days, or thirteen days for UNC faculty. Books begin to accrue overdue charges at the rate of $.50 per day per item after the grace period has expired. The maximum charge for overdue fines is $25 per item, unless the item is recalled.
Recalled Book Fines
Additional fines apply to books that have been recalled for another borrower. Overdue recalled items accrue an additional $0.50 per item per day. There is no grace period for recalled items; fines begin accruing as soon as the book is overdue. The addition of the recall fine can more than double the total fine charged.
Lost Book Charges
Patrons are responsible for books that they have borrowed, and will be fined for lost books. Books are automatically declared lost when 42 days past due. Lost book fees are $100 ($75 replacement fee; $25 processing fee). The maximum regular overdue fine for a lost book is $25 if the patron returns the book after it goes into lost status. If the book was recalled, fines will be greater. A patron who does not return a lost book will be expected to pay the replacement charge of $100. If the actual replacement cost exceeds $100, the fee will be the replacement cost plus a $25 processing fee.
Damaged Book Charges
Patrons are responsible for books that they have borrowed and will be charged for damage to books. The minimum damaged book charge is $7.50. The maximum charge will be for the replacement fee of the book. Patrons should not dog-ear pages or stick any adhesive materials in library books. Patrons may be charged for highlighting, underlining or writing in library books, or for placing post-it notes or other adhesive markers in books. The library charges a $0.25 removal fee for each post-it or adhesive left in books that are returned.
When books have been damaged beyond repair or are known to be irretrievably lost then patrons may contact the library to discuss replacing the books for a processing fee of $25, in lieu of paying the $100 fee. Replacement copies may be subject to an additional recall fine if the item being replaced is overdue and was recalled by another borrower prior to the due date. Replacement copies must be new books and must be the same edition as the lost items, or newer. Used copies are not acceptable replacements; please contact the Billing Supervisor if a book is out of print. Hardcover books are preferred but paperbacks are acceptable.
Paying Fines
Recently accrued fines for items checked out from the Undergraduate Library, Health Sciences Library, Law Library and the Park Journalism Library should be paid at their respective library.
Recently accrued fines for items checked out from Davis Library, Sloane Art Library, Kenan Science Library, Music Library, SILS Library, and Stone Center Library may be paid at Davis Library.
Typically fines accrued by students are transferred to the Cashier's Office the next business day (or, within a few days) and should be paid in person at the Cashier's Office or online (for students).
If you have questions about paying your fines, please contact us.
Appealing a Fine
Fine appeal should be submitted to the library which owns the overdue or lost item; the owning library is identified in the email or paper notice sent to inform you of the fine. If you are appealing charges owed on items from multiple libraries, you will need to submit a separate appeal to each of those libraries. To appeal a fine, please use our online appeal form.
If you have questions or concerns about a charge on your account please contact the library directly before submitting a fine appeal. If a book you have already returned is still listed as checked out on your account more than one business day after you returned it, please contact the library immediately to request a search, rather than submitting a fine appeal.
Interlibrary Loan
Books and journal articles not available at UNC-Chapel Hill may be requested through Interlibrary Loan.
Borrower's Card Fees
For information about acquiring a borrower's card, see UNC Borrower's Cards.


text:
Product Features
Premium fit, the longer length of a regular fit with a slimmer cut,
Long sleeves,
Lightweight soft jersey material [ 150 g/m2 - 5.3 oz.],
Soft-to-the-touch graphic print,
DC detailing
Find In Store
Enter your postcode to find your nearest stores:
The results will show stores that have stocked this product, however please note that it does not guarantee that they still have stock today. Please call the stores to confirm.


text:
For full graphics, see: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/09/28/the-people-have-to-be-awakened-one-of-chinas-biggest-cities-is-rising-up-against-the-communist-government/
'The People Have to Be Awakened': One of China's Biggest Cities Is Rising Up Against the Communist Government
Sep. 28, 2014 7:57am Zach Noble
HONG KONG (TheBlaze/AP) — Nearly a full day after it began, the anti-government protests ravaging Hong Kong are still going strong.
Police used tear gas on Sunday to try to clear thousands of pro-democracy protesters who had gathered outside government headquarters in a challenge to Beijing over its decision to restrict democratic reforms for the city.
After spending hours holding the protesters at bay, police lobbed canisters of tear gas into the crowd on Sunday evening. The searing fumes sent protesters fleeing down the road, but many came right back to continue their demonstration.
Watch the protests live below:
Students and activists have been camped out on the streets outside the government complex all weekend. Students started the rally, but by early Sunday leaders of the broader Occupy Central civil disobedience movement said they were joining them to kick-start a long-threatened mass sit-in to demand an election for Hong Kong's leader without Beijing's interference.
Authorities launched their crackdown after the protest spiraled into an extraordinary scene of chaos as the protesters jammed a busy road and clashed with officers wielding pepper spray.
The protesters were trying tried to reach a mass sit-in being held outside government headquarters to demand Beijing grant genuine democratic reforms to the former British colony.
Thousands of protestors, led by students, are camped outside govt HQ in central Hong Kong: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-29398962 … pic.twitter.com/ezbw2adMGS
Thousands of protestors, led by students, are camped outside govt HQ in central Hong Kong: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-29398962 …
The demonstrations — which Beijing called "illegal" — were a rare scene of disorder in the Asian financial hub, and highlighted authorities' inability to get a grip on the public discontent over Beijing's tightening grip on the city. The protesters reject Beijing's recent decision to restrict voting reforms for the first-ever elections to choose Hong Kong's leader, promised for 2017.
Earlier Sunday, thousands of protesters who tried to join the sit-in breached a police cordon, spilling out onto a busy highway and causing traffic to come to a standstill.
Police officers in a buffer zone manned barricades and doused the protesters with pepper spray carried in backpacks. The demonstrators, who tried at one point to rip apart metal barricades, carried umbrellas to deflect the spray by the police, who were wearing helmets and respirators.
Police had told those involved in what they also call an illegal gathering to leave the scene as soon as possible, warning that otherwise they would begin to clear the area and make arrests.
The use of the tear gas angered the protesters, who chanted "Shame on C.Y. Leung" after it was used, referring to the city's deeply unpopular Beijing-backed leader, Leung Chun-ying. To many, it also seemed to mark a major shift for Hong Kong, whose residents have long felt their city stood apart from mainland China thanks to its guaranteed civil liberties and separate legal and financial systems.
Hong Kong "has changed to a new era so the people have to be awakened. It's no longer the old Hong Kong," said one protester, W.T. Chung, 46, who yelled at police officers after they used tear gas.
Earlier, police said they had arrested 78 people since demonstrations started late Friday, though all but three were released.
Leung said Hong Kong's government was "resolute in opposing the unlawful occupation" of the government offices or the financial district by Occupy Central.
"The police are determined to handle the situation appropriately in accordance with the law," he said at a news conference.
The Chinese government agency that handles Hong Kong affairs condemned the protests.
"China's central government firmly opposes illegal acts taking place in Hong Kong," and fully supports the local government in handling the matter according to the law, the official Xinhua News Agency quoted the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council as saying.
Protest organizers said police took away several pro-democracy legislators who were among the demonstrators.
Among the protesters was media magnate Jimmy Lai, who owns the popular Apple Daily, Hong Kong's sole pro-democracy newspaper.
Associated Press writers Louise Watt and Joanna Chiu contributed to this report.


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I went see Julie & Julia last night with Michelle. I hope Meryl Streep wins an Oscar for her amazing performance as Julia Child. The Julie Powell character was a bit annoying at times though, and her story line wasn't nearly as interesting as Julia's. They could have probably made an entire movie based on Julia Child's life alone. Nevertheless, I recommend the film.
The cringe-worthy Cobb salad scene where Julie Powell has lunch with her friends made me strangely homesick for NY. The depiction of Julie's shamelessly ambitious, cell phone-tethered friends was pretty-right on. They represent all that is terrible yet strangely charming about NYC (or maybe it's just because I've been away for the too long).
Watching all that French food being made and eaten on the big screen piqued our appetite, so I busted out the iPhone and found Le Charm French Bistro in SoMa. The restaurant is a charming, old-school French bistro, with a very reasonably-priced $30 three-course dinner prix fixe. I had the French onion soup, a seafood bourride, and the strawberry tart for dessert. Yum!
One more week to go for my ccLearn internship. The rest of the ccLearn crew will be in Vancouver next week for the Open Education Conference, while I will be sticking around SF wrapping things up and documenting my work. Then back to NYC next Friday.


text:
|Hunting Home
|Contact Us
|DNR Home
|Wildlife Diversity
|Law Enforcement
|Disability Services
|go Wild!
|License Plate
|Kid Zone
General Regulations
|10 points
|use of spotlight with firearms or other implement.
|6 points
|illegal possession or sale of wildlife or illegally killing deer, boar, or turkey.
|6 points
|hunting from a motor vehicle.
|4 points
|all other hunting violations.
When a person accumulates 10 or more hunting and/or fishing violation points combined, his/her licenses will be revoked for a period of two years.
Points will be removed on the second anniversary or upon restoration of the license.
In any county where Sunday hunting has not been prohibited by local election, Sunday hunting is legal on private land only with written permission of the landowner. Hunting is prohibited on any Sunday (November 23, 2014,
December 7, 2014 and April 26, 2015) preceding the Monday opening of a big game season.
For a current list of counties open to Sunday hunting, visit www.wvdnr.gov/Hunting/SundayHunt.shtm or check with your county DNR officer or county clerk.
Coyotes may be hunted year round.
Hunting coyotes at night using any color artificial light is legal from January 1 through July 31.
Firearms legal for night coyote hunting are shotguns with #2 or smaller shot and rifles and handguns of .22 caliber centerfire or smaller and .22 caliber rimfire or smaller.
During closed small game season, coyotes may only be hunted in open fields. Guns must be cased while being transported to and from the open field.
Electronic calls are legal.
There is no daily, annual or season bag limit.
In progress – dial 911
Not in progress – call your DNR District Law Enforcement Office during normal operating hours or online at www. wvdnr.gov/LEnforce/Poachers.shtm.
Become involved in protecting your sport, be willing to testify in court.
National Forests are managed under cooperative agreement with the U.S. Forest Service.
George Washington and Jefferson National Forests
5162 Valleypointe Parkway
Roanoke, VA 24019
(540) 265-5100
Toll Free: 1-888-265-0019
Monongahela National Forest
200 Sycamore Street
Elkins, WV 26241
Voice and TDD: (304) 636-1800
A free refuge hunting permit is required to hunt on the National Wildlife Refuges in West Virginia. Please contact the appropriate National Wildlife Refuge to obtain a permit and for rules and regulations governing hunting and fishing;
Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge
3982 Waverly Road
Williamstown, WV 26187
(304) 375-2923
Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge
6263 Appalachian Highway
Davis, WV 26260
(304) 866-3858
Rules and regulations governing hunting and trapping on state owned and leased lands are the same as on adjacent private lands except as follows:
Fairmont, Flatwoods, Harrisville, Princeton, Martinsburg, and Milton
Elkins, Fayetteville, Glen Dale, Logan, Moorefield, and Parkersburg
Trout Stocking |
Wildlife Viewing |
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| Fishing Waters | Park Regulations |
Contact Webmaster
© West Virginia Division of Natural Resources


text:
Beamforming is a key technique that is used to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of received signals, eliminate undesirable interference sources, and focus transmitted signals on a specific location. Beamforming is at the heart of modern wireless communications systems such as 5G, LTE and WLAN, and is used in sensor arrays in radar, sonar, medical imaging, and audio systems.
Developing a beamformer and evaluating algorithm alternatives is only the first step toward achieving the required performance of a wireless communications or radar system. To assess performance, the beamformer must be integrated into a system-level model and evaluated over a collection of parameter, steering, and channel combinations. Another challenge involves system-level tradeoffs between performing beamforming in the radio frequency (RF) and/or digital baseband domain. All of these activities are best done early in the design process.
Modeling beamforming algorithms in the context of an entire system including RF, antenna, and signal processing components can address these challenges. MATLAB® and Simulink® provide a full set of modeling and simulation tools and algorithms needed to design, test, and integrate beamformers, and to perform full system-level analysis.


text:
The team behind The Hoop Bus aims to spread the love of basketball all around the country through renovating an old school bus into a mobile basketball court.
Hoop Bus Spreading Unity, One Slam Dunk At A Time
Sponsored By
Program: CBS 11 News EveningCategories: News, Local News, KTVTTV, Top Story
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text:
From NYT, October 22, 2011:
LOS ALTOS, Calif. — The chief technology officer of eBay sends his children to a nine-classroom school here. So do employees of Silicon Valley giants like Google, Apple, Yahoo and Hewlett-Packard.
But the school's chief teaching tools are anything but high-tech: pens and paper, knitting needles and, occasionally, mud. Not a computer to be found. No screens at all. They are not allowed in the classroom, and the school even frowns on their use at home.
Read the rest of the article by MATT RICHTEL. However, a few further random quotes:
While other schools in the region brag about their wired classrooms, the Waldorf school embraces a simple, retro look — blackboards with colorful chalk, bookshelves with encyclopedias, wooden desks filled with workbooks and No. 2 pencils.
Andie's teacher, Cathy Waheed, who is a former computer engineer, tries to make learning both irresistible and highly tactile. Last year she taught fractions by having the children cut up food — apples, quesadillas, cake — into quarters, halves and sixteenths.


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Michael Corbin is an international trade specialist for asset management and private pensions in the International Trade Administration's Manufacturing and Services unit. In nearly fourteen years of service his portfolio has included asset management, hedge and sovereign wealth funds, insurance and private pensions
The U.S. asset management sector has long been one of the great success stories of U.S. business, both at home and abroad. U.S. companies accounted for nearly half of the world's $85.2 trillion in assets under management in 2011. U.S. asset managers are increasingly looking abroad to secure future business and take advantage of developing growth opportunities in the sector.
Why look overseas?
A month ago I had a conversation with an executive from a fortune 500 investment company. He told me that the U.S. market has become saturated, with many individuals receiving payouts rather than paying into the system. He explained that we also are witnessing a major shift globally from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans. In a defined benefit plan, the employer promises to pay a certain monthly benefit upon retirement based on a specified criteria (e.g., age and years worked). In a defined contribution plan, individual accounts are set up for participants and benefits are based on the amounts credited to these accounts (through employer contributions and, if applicable, employee contributions) plus any earnings on the money invested in the account. In the vast majority of the developing world, defined contribution systems are the default pension schemes.
The need for greater cooperation
Manufacturing and Services' (MAS) Office of Financial Services Industries (OFSI) has seen an increased demand for assistance to companies seeking to secure greater market access and increase brand awareness. Just in the past few months OFSI's asset management related work has included:
- Collaborating with U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia and the Principal FinancialGroup as it unveiled a new agreement to manage private pensions in Malaysia. The agreement will allow CIMB – Principal to establish a collaboration with employers to systematically introduce their employees to Private Retirement Schemes (PRS) and encourage greater retirement savings. A signing ceremony on 21 November publicly highlighted this historic agreement and market access success for an American asset manager. (photo included)
- In June I participated in a conference in Russia where I presented an overview of the U.S. insurance and pension systems to their membership and select regulatory officials and discussed steps Russia needed to take to accede to the OECD Insurance and Private Pension Committee.
- OFSI provided critical analysis and recommendations to a U.S. insurer requiring immediate assistance regarding potential legislation impacting the Polish pension market.
- OFSI, Embassy Lima in Peru, and the Investment Company Institute collaborated to organize a conference call between major U.S. mutual funds and insurers and the Peruvian Supervisory Authority. The Peruvians specifically requested U.S. expert opinion on their new pension reform before the scheduled public announcement in December.
These examples highlight how the International Trade Administration's MAS unit is working with U.S.-based asset management firms to expand U.S. financial services exports and their business in foreign markets. We anticipate the need for MAS's services and expertise to grow as will opportunities and successes for U.S. companies.


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This data set reports the location of snow cover based on the Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI) and a series of screens designed to alleviate errors and flag uncertain snow cover detections. The NDSI is derived from radiance data acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board the Terra satellite.
MODIS/Terra Snow Cover 5-Min L2 Swath 500m, Version 6
This is the most recent version of these data.
Changes for Version 6 include:
- Fractional Snow Cover has been replaced by Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI) snow cover. Fractional Snow Cover is no longer calculated;
- The binary Snow-Covered Area (SCA) map has been discontinued;
- Data screens designed to reduce snow detection errors have been revised and several new screens have been added;
- Data screen results, including snow detection reversals and detections with increased uncertainty, are provided in a new QA bit flag;
- Basic pixel-level QA uses new criteria to indicate the overall quality of algorithm result.
COMPREHENSIVE Level of Service
Data: Data integrity and usability verified; data customization services available for select data
Documentation: Key metadata and comprehensive user guide available
User Support: Assistance with data access and usage; guidance on use of data in tools and data customization services
Geographic Coverage
Other Access OptionsClose
Once you have logged in, you will be able to click and download files via a Web browser. There are also options for downloading via a command line or client. For more detailed instructions, please see Options Available for Bulk Downloading Data from HTTPS with Earthdata Login.
Earthdata Search: This application allows you to search, visualize, and access data across thousands of Earth science data sets. Additional customization services are available for select data sets, including subsetting, reformatting, and reprojection.
Worldview: This application allows you to interactively browse global satellite imagery within hours of it being acquired. You can also save it, share it, and download the underlying data.
Subscription Service: Subscribe to have new data automatically delivered to you as they become available at NSIDC. Subscriptions apply only to future data as they are delivered to NSIDC; they cannot be used to receive data already in NSIDC's archive.
As a condition of using these data, you must cite the use of this data set using the following citation. For more information, see our Use and Copyright Web page.Hall, D. K. and G. A. Riggs. 2016. MODIS/Terra Snow Cover 5-Min L2 Swath 500m, Version 6. [Indicate subset used]. Boulder, Colorado USA. NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center. doi: https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MOD10_L2.006. [Date Accessed].
Detailed Data Description
Snow covered land typically has a very high reflectance in visible bands and very low reflectance in the shortwave infrared. The Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI) reveals the magnitude of this difference. The snow cover algorithm in this data set calculates the NDSI for all land and inland water pixels in daylight using Terra MODIS band 4 (visible green) and band 6 (shortwave near-infrared) and then applies a series of data screens to alleviate errors and flag uncertain snow detections.
Data files are provided in HDF-EOS2 (V2.17). JPEG browse images are also available.
HDF-EOS (Hierarchical Data Format - Earth Observing System) is a self-describing file format based on HDF that was developed specifically for distributing and archiving data collected by NASA EOS satellites. For more information, visit the HDF-EOS Tools and Information Center.
Example File Name:
Refer to Table 1 for descriptions of the file name variables listed above.
|Product ID
|Acquisition date follows
|Acquisition year
|Acquisition day of year
|Acquisition hour and minute in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
|Version (Collection) number
|Production year
|Production day of year
|Production hour/minute/second in GMT
|HDF-EOS formatted data file
Note: Data files contain important metadata including global attributes that are assigned to the file and local attributes like coded integer keys that provide details about the data fields. In addition, each HDF-EOS data file has a corresponding XML metadata file (.xml) which contains some of the same internal metadata as the HDF-EOS file plus additional information regarding user support, archiving, and granule-specific post-production. For detailed information about MODIS metadata fields and values, consult the MODIS Snow Products Collection 6 User Guide.
Data files are approximately 6.5 MB.
Note: MOD10_L2 data files contain five minutes of swath data (a scene). Five minutes of MODIS swath data typically comprises 203 full scans of the MODIS instrument and occasionally 204. With an along-track viewing path of 10 km, each scan acquires 20 pixels in the 500 m bands, and thus a scene typically contains 4060 pixels in the along-track direction and occasionally 4080. The instrument's ±55 degree scanning pattern yields 2708 pixels per scene in the cross-track direction. In general, 144 5-minute scenes are acquired during daylight.
Coverage is global. Terra's sun-synchronous, near-polar circular orbit is timed to cross the equator from north to south (descending node) at approximately 10:30 A.M. local time. Complete global coverage occurs every one to two days (more frequently near the poles). The following sites offer tools that track and predict Terra's orbital path:
- Daily Terra Orbit Tracks, Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- NASA LaRC Satellite Overpass Predictor (includes viewing zenith, solar zenith, and ground track distance to specified lat/lon)
Spatial Resolution
500 m (at nadir) for data fields
5 km for geolocation fields
Projection and Grid Description
None (latitude, longitude referenced)
MODIS Terra data are available from 24 February 2000 to present. However, because the NDSI depends on visible light, data are not produced for the night phase of each orbital period or for those portions of fall and winter in polar regions when viewing conditions are too dark. In addition, anomalies over the course of the Terra mission have resulted in minor data outages. If you cannot locate data for a particular date or time, check the MODIS/Terra Data Outages Web page.
Temporal Resolution
Each data file contains five minutes of swath data (a scene). Complete global coverage occurs every one to two days.
NDSI snow cover, raw NDSI, screen results, and basic QA for each pixel are written to HDF-EOS formatted files as Scientific Data Sets (SDSs) according to the HDF Scientific Data Set Data Model. The SDSs for this data set are listed in Table 2:
|Scientific Data Set
NDSI snow cover plus other results. Possible values are:
A basic estimate of the quality of the algorithm result. Possible values are:
|Bit flags indicating screen results and the presence of inland water. Bits are set to on (1) as follows:
|Raw NDSI (i.e. prior to screening) reported in the range 0–10,000. Values are scaled by 1 x 104.
|Coarse resolution (5 km) latitudes for geolocating the SDSs. Values correspond to the center pixel of 5 km x 5 km blocks in the data arrays.
|Coarse resolution (5 km) longitudes for geolocating the SDSs. Values correspond to the center pixel of 5 km x 5 km blocks in data arrays.
Geolocating MODIS 500 m Swath Data
StructMetadata.0 metadata object contains a dimension map that specifies how each dimension of each geolocation field relates to the corresponding dimension in each data field. When a data field and a geolocation field share a named dimension, no explicit map is needed. However, for MODIS data sets in which the resolution of the geolocation dimension (5 km) differs from the resolution of the data dimension (500 m), two additional metadata objects—
Offset and
Increment—are needed to fully define the mapping.
Offset specifies the location along the data dimension of the first data point with a corresponding entry along the geolocation dimension.
Increment then specifies the number of steps between subsequent points with corresponding entries along the geolocation dimension. For MODIS 500 m data sets,
Offset = 5 and
Increment = 10.
Unfortunately, HDF-EOS specifications only allow integer offsets in dimension maps, and MODIS 500 m data sets require fractional offsets to be correctly geolocated. Two product-specific metadata attributes were created to accomodate this additional mapping requirement:
HDFEOS_FractionalOffset_Along_swath_lines_500m_MOD_Swath_Snow and
These elements contain fractional offsets of 0.5 in the along-track direction and 0.0 in the cross-track direction that must be added to the integer offset stored with the dimension map. Thus the combined along-track offset of 5.5 indicates that the first element (0,0) in the latitude and longitude fields maps to (5, 5.5) in any of the data fields. Subsequent elements in the geolocation arrays then map to locations in the data fields at 10-pixel increments in the both the along-track and cross-track directions.
Software and Tools
The following sites can help you identify the right MODIS data for your study:
- NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System | Near Real-Time Data
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center | MODIS Land Global Browse Images
The following resources are available to help users work with MODIS data:
- The HDF-EOS to GeoTIFF Conversion Tool (HEG) can reformat, re-project, and perform stitching/mosaicing and subsetting operations on HDF-EOS objects.
- HDFView is a simple, visual interface for opening, inspecting, and editing HDF files. Users can view file hierarchy in a tree structure, modify the contents of a data set, add, delete and modify attributes, and create new files.
- The MODIS Conversion Toolkit (MCTK) plug-in for ENVI can ingest, process, and georeference every known MODIS data set, including products distributed with EASE-Grid projections. The toolkit includes support for swath projection and grid reprojection and comes with an API for large batch processing jobs.
- NSIDC's Hierarchical Data Format | Earth Observing System (HDF-EOS) Web page contains information about HDF-EOS, plus tools to extract binary and ASCII objects, instructions to uncompress and geolocate HDF-EOS data files, and links to obtain additional HDF-EOS resources.
Data Acquisition and Processing
MODIS is a key instrument onboard NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) Aqua and Terra satellites. The EOS includes satellites, a data collection system, and the world-wide community of scientists supporting a coordinated series of polar-orbiting and low inclination satellites that provide long-term, global observations of the land surface, biosphere, solid Earth, atmosphere, and oceans. As a whole, EOS is improving our understanding of the Earth as an integrated system. MODIS plays a vital role in developing validated, global, and interactive Earth system models that can predict global change accurately enough to assist policy makers in making sound decisions about how best to protect our environment. For more information, see:
The MODIS sensor contains a system whereby visible light from Earth passes through a scan aperture and into a scan cavity to a scan mirror. The double-sided scan mirror reflects incoming light onto an internal telescope, which in turn focuses the light onto four different detector assemblies. Before the light reaches the detector assemblies, it passes through beam splitters and spectral filters that divide the light into four broad wavelength ranges. Each time a photon strikes a detector assembly, an electron is generated. Electrons are collected in a capacitor where they are eventually transferred into the preamplifier. Electrons are converted from an analog signal to digital data, and downlinked to ground receiving stations. The EOS Ground System (EGS) consists of facilities, networks, and systems that archive, process, and distribute EOS and other NASA Earth science data to the science and user community.
The MODIS science team continually seeks to improve the algorithms used to generate MODIS data sets. Whenever new algorithms become available, the MODIS Adaptive Processing System (MODAPS) reprocesses the entire MODIS collection—atmosphere, land, cryosphere, and ocean data sets—and a new version is released. Version 6 (also known as Collection 6) is the most recent version of MODIS snow cover data available from NSIDC. NSIDC strongly encourages users to work with the most recent version.
Consult the following resources for more information about MODIS Version 6 data, including known problems, production schedules, and future plans:
Processing Steps
Snow Cover
The MODIS snow cover algorithm detects snow by computing the Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI) (Hall and Riggs, 2011) from MODIS Level 1B calibrated radiances. Data screens are then applied to alleviate errors of commission and to flag uncertain snow detections. The final output consists of NDSI snow cover plus the location of clouds, water bodies, and other algorithm results of interest to data users. The following sections briefly describe the approach used to detect snow. For a detailed description, see the Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD).
Input Products
Table 3 lists the MODIS products that are used as inputs to the snow detection algorithm:
Product ID
Long Name
Data Used
MODIS/Terra Calibrated Radiances 5-Min L1B Swath 500m
Band 1 (0.645 μm); Band 2 (0.865 μm); Band 4 (0.555 μm); Band 6 (1.640 μm)
MODIS/Terra Calibrated Radiances 5-Min L1B Swath 1km
Bands: 31 (11.03 μm )
MODIS/Terra Geolocation Fields 5-Min L1A Swath 1km
Land/Water Mask (see note); Solar Zenith Angle; Latitude; Longitude; Geoid Height
MODIS/Terra Cloud Mask and Spectral Test Results 5-Min L2 Swath 250m and 1km
Unobstructed Field of View Flag; Day/Night Flag
Note: Version 6 utilizes a new land/water mask derived from the University of Maryland Global Land Cover Facility's UMD 250m MODIS Water Mask. To maintain continuity between Version 5 and Version 6, the UMD 250m MODIS Water Mask was converted from a 250 m, two-class map to 500 m and seven classes for use in all MODIS products. The conversion is detailed in Development of an Operational Land Water Mask for MODIS Collection 6.
The new land/water mask greatly improves the accuracy of lake and river locations compared with Version 5. Users will likely notice that many larger rivers are more continuous and that the number of mapped lakes has increased, especially in regions with small lakes such as northern Minnesota to the Northwest Territories.
The algorithm reads radiance data from MOD02HKM, geolocation data and the land/water mask from MOD03, and the cloud mask and day/night flag from MOD35_L2. The radiance data is checked for quality and converted to top of the atmosphere (TOA) reflectance. The NDSI is then computed for all land and inland water pixels in daylight using Band 4 (0.55 µm) and Band 6 (1.6 µm) reflectances as follows:
NDSI = (Band 4 - Band 6) / (Band 4 + Band 6)
Snow typically has a very high reflectance in visible bands and very low reflectance in the shortwave infrared, a characteristic which distinguishes snow cover from non snow-covered land and most cloud types. As such, pixels with NDSI > 0.0 are deemed to have some snow present. Pixels with NDSI ≤ 0.0 are classified as snow free land.
In the previous version of this data set (Version 5), fractional snow cover was computed from the NDSI using a regression technique. This approach has been abandoned for Version 6 because the NDSI is directly related to the presence of snow in a pixel and thus more accurately describes snow detection compared with FSC. The MODIS Science Team believes this change will offer users more flexibility to apply MODIS snow cover data sets to their research. Importantly, the change does not disrupt data continuity because the snow detection algorithm in Version 6 is essentially the same as Version 5 without the FSC calculation. Users who wish to estimate FSC can apply the FSC regression equation from Version 5 to Version 6 NDSI snow cover data.
In addition, the binary (snow/no snow) snow-covered area (SCA) map in Version 5 has been abandoned for Version 6. This SDS was computed by: a) setting a snow threshold of 0.4 ≤ NDSI ≤ 1; and b) applying an additional test to pixels with 0.1 ≤ NDSI ≤ 0.4 which used the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to increase snow detection sensitivity in forested landscapes. However, this algorithm effectively prevented snow detections for NDSI < 0.4 on any landscape. Again, the MODIS Science Team believes this change offers the research community more flexibility. Users who wish to construct a binary SCA map can choose their own threshold for snow using the Version 6 NDSI Snow Cover, the raw NDSI data, or a combination of both.
The NDSI has proven effective at detecting snow cover on the landscape given clear skies and good viewing geometry and solar illumination. However, other illumination conditions can diminish the technique's effectiveness and induce errors of commission or omission. During the course of the MODIS mission, the Science Team and user community have identified several frequently occuring sources or error, for example, confusion between snow-covered land and certain cloud types or surface features with snow-like reflectances.
Examining the NDSI relationship more closely provides a means to circumvent many of these potential errors. For example, some bright surface features with snow-like NDSIs have MODIS Band 6 reflectances that exceed expected values for snow, while others have visible/near-infrared reflectance differences that are too low. As such, pixels determined to have some snow present are subjected to a series of screens that have been specifically developed to alleviate snow commission and omission associated with the most common error sources. In addition, snow-free pixels are screened for very low illumination conditions to prevent possible snow omission errors. The following sections describe these data screens.
Low Visible Reflectance Screen
This screen is applied to prevent errors from occuring when the reflectance is too low for the algorithm to perform well, such as in very low illumination or on surface features with very low reflectance. This screen is also applied to pixels that have no snow cover present (snow-free pixels) to prevent possible snow omission. If the MODIS Band 2 reflectance is ≤ 0.10 or the Band 4 reflectance is ≤ 0.11, the pixel fails the screen and is set to no decision in the NDSI snow cover SDS. The results of this screen are tracked in bit 1 of the
NDSI_Snow_Cover_Algorithm_Flags_QA SDS.
Low NDSI screen
Pixels detected as having snow cover with 0.0 < NDSI < 0.10 are reversed to no snow and flagged by setting bit 2 in the
NDSI_Snow_Cover_Algorithm_Flags_QA SDS. This flag can be used to find pixels where snow cover detections were reversed to not snow.
Estimated surface temperature and surface height screen
This screen serves a dual purpose by linking estimated surface temperature with surface height. It is used to alleviate errors of commission at low elevations that appear spectrally similar to snow but are too warm. It is also used to flag snow detections at high elevations that are warmer than expected. Using the estimated MODIS Band 31 brightness temperature (Tb), if snow is detected in a pixel with height < 1300 m and Tb ≥ 281 K, the pixel is reversed to not snow and bit 3 is set in the
NDSI_Snow_Cover_Algorithm_Flags_QA SDS. If snow is detected in a pixel with height ≥ 1300 m and Tb ≥ 281 K, the pixel is flagged as unusually warm by setting bit 3 in the
NDSI_Snow_Cover_Algorithm_Flags_QA SDS.
High SWIR reflectance screen
This screen also serves a dual purpose by: a) preventing non-snow features that appear similar to snow from being detected as snow; b) allowing snow to be detected where snow-cover short-wave infrared reflectance (SWIR) is anomalously high. Snow typically has a SWIR reflectance of less than about 0.20; however, this value can be higher under certain conditions like a low sun angle. The SWIR reflectance screen thus utilizes two thresholds. Snow pixels with SWIR reflectance > 0.45 are reversed to not snow and bit 4 of
NDSI_Snow_Cover_Algorithm_Flags_QA SDS is set. Snow pixels with 0.25 < SWIR reflectance ≤ 0.45 are flagged as having an unusually high SWIR for snow by setting bit 4 in the
NDSI_Snow_Cover_Algorithm_Flags_QA SDS.
Solar zenith screen
When solar zenith angles exceed 70°, the low illumination challenges snow cover detection. As such, pixels with solar zenith angles > 70° are flagged by setting bit 7 in the
NDSI_Snow_Cover_Algorithm_Flags_QA SDS. This solar zenith mask is set across the entire swath. Note: night is defined as a solar zenith angle ≥ 85°. Night pixels are assigned a value 211.
Lake Ice
Ice/snow covered lake ice are detected by applying the snow algorithm specifically to inland water bodies. These data are provided so that the MODIS user community can evaluate the efficacy of this technique. Inland water bodies are flagged by setting bit 0 in the
NDSI_Snow_Cover_Algorithm_Flags_QA SDS. Users can extract or mask inland water in the NDSI snow cover SDS using this flag. The algorithm relies on the basic assumption that a water body is deep and clear and therefore absorbs all of the solar radiation incident upon it. Water bodies with algal blooms, high turbidity, or other relatively high reflectance conditions may be erroneously detected as snow/ice covered.
Cloud Masking
Clouds are masked using the Unobstructed Field of View (UFOV) cloud mask flag from MOD35_L2. Values in the 1 km mask value are applied to the four corresponding 500 m pixels. If the cloud mask flags "certain cloud," the pixels are masked as cloud. Values of "confident clear," "probably clear," or "uncertain clear" are interpreted as clear in the snow cover algorithm.
Abnormal Condition Rules
If radiance data are missing in any of the MODIS bands used by the algorithm, the pixel is set to "missing data" and is not processed for snow cover. Unusable radiance data are set to "no decision."
Version History
See the MODIS | Data Versions page for the history of MODIS snow and sea ice product versions.
Error Sources
Anomalies in the input data can propagate to the output. Table 3 lists the MODIS products that are used as input to the snow cover algorithm. Although developing a global snow cover detection algorithm presents a variety of challenges, the NDSI technique has proven to be a robust indicator. Numerous investigators have utilized MODIS snow cover data sets and reported accuracy in the range of 88% to 93%. Consult the MODIS Snow Products Collection 6 User Guide for more details about potential sources of error in the MODIS snow cover data sets.
Quality Assessment (QA) in Version 6 consists of:
- Basic QA values stored in
- Bit flags stored in
NDSI_Snow_Cover_Algorithm_Flags_QAthat report data screen results
Basic QA values provide a qualitative estimate of the algorithm result for a pixel based on the input data and solar zenith data. The basic QA value is initialized to "best" and then adjusted as needed based on the quality of the MOD02HKM input radiance data and the solar zenith angle screen. If the MOD02HKM data (TOA reflectance) lie outside the range of 5% to 100% but are still usable, the QA value is set to good. If the solar zenith angle is in range of 70° ≤ solar zenith angle < 85°, the QA is set to okay to indicate the increased uncertainty stemming from low illumination. If the input data are unusable, the QA value is set to "other." The conditions for a poor result are not defined (i.e. this value is not currently used). Features that are masked, like night and ocean, use the same values as the snow cover SDS.
Bit flags can be used to investigate results for all pixels which have been processed for snow. By examining the bit flags, users can determine if any of the data screens: a) changed a pixel's initial result from "snow" to "not snow"; or b) flagged snow cover in a pixel as uncertain. The Processing Steps section above describes each data screen and the location of its bit flag. Consult the Interpretation of Snow Cover Detection Accuracy, Uncertainty, and Errors section of the MODIS Snow Products Collection 6 User Guide to see how each screen should be interpreted.
The MODIS instrument provides 12-bit radiometric sensitivity in 36 spectral bands ranging in wavelength from 0.4 µm to 14.4 µm. Two bands are imaged at a nominal resolution of 250 m at nadir, five bands at 500 m, and the remaining bands at 1000 m. A ±55 degree scanning pattern at an altitude of 705 km achieves a 2330 km swath with global coverage every one to two days.
The scan mirror assembly uses a continuously rotating, double-sided scan mirror to scan ±55 degrees, and is driven by a motor encoder built to operate 100 percent of the time throughout the six year instrument design life. The optical system consists of a two-mirror, off-axis afocal telescope which directs energy to four refractive objective assemblies, one each for the visible, near-infrared, short- and mid-wavelength infrared, and long wavelength infrared spectral regions.
The MODIS instruments on the Terra and Aqua space vehicles were built to NASA specifications by Santa Barbara Remote Sensing, a division of Raytheon Electronics Systems. Table 4 contains the instruments' technical specifications:
|705 km altitude, 10:30 A.M. descending node (Terra), sun-synchronous, near-polar, circular
|Scan Rate
|20.3 rpm, cross track
|Swath Dimensions
|2330 km (cross track) by 10 km (along track at nadir)
|17.78 cm diameter off-axis, afocal (collimated) with intermediate field stop
|1.0 m x 1.6 m x 1.0 m
|228.7 kg
|162.5 W (single orbit average)
|Data Rate
|10.6 Mbps (peak daytime); 6.1 Mbps (orbital average)
|12 bits
|Spatial Resolution
|250 m (bands 1-2)
500 m (bands 3-7)
1000 m (bands (8-36)
|Design Life
|6 years
MODIS has a series of on-board calibrators that provide radiometric, spectral, and spatial calibration of the MODIS instrument. The blackbody calibrator is the primary calibration source for thermal bands between 3.5 µm and 14.4 µm, while the Solar Diffuser (SD) provides a diffuse, solar-illuminated calibration source for visible, near-infrared, and short wave infrared bands. The Solar Diffuser Stability Monitor tracks changes in the reflectance of the SD with reference to the sun so that potential instrument changes are not incorrectly attributed to changes in this calibration source. The Spectroradiometric Calibration Assembly provides additional spectral, radiometric, and spatial calibration.
MODIS uses the moon as an additional calibration technique and for tracking degradation of the SD by referencing the illumination of the moon since the moon's brightness is approximately the same as that of the Earth. Finally, MODIS deep space views provide a photon input signal of zero, which is used as a point of reference for calibration.
For additional details about the MODIS instruments, see NASA's MODIS | About Web page.
References and Related Publications
Contacts and Acknowledgments
Principal Investigators
Miguel O. Román
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Mail Code: 619
Greenbelt , MD 20771
Dorothy K. Hall
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Mail Code 615
Greenbelt, MD 20771
George A. Riggs
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Science Systems and Applications, Inc.
Mail stop 615
Greenbelt, MD 20771
Document Information
February 2004
August 2007
March 2016


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To our readers:
Sandy visited Long Island for only a few hours in late October, but we will be dealing with the mess she left behind for many months, if not years. Her devastation affected every aspect of life here on the South Shore. Some of us lost homes and material possessions; others, more fortunate, reached out to help those in need. All of us have been touched — and changed — in some way.
Realizing that the journey to recovery is a multifaceted story with no end in sight, the Heralds will be chronicling all aspects of the rebuilding effort in a series of weekly articles with a common theme, South Shore Rising. We plan this coverage to be useful, hopeful and healing. If you think we should be writing about something we're not, let us know. If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at email@example.com. If you'd like to place an ad related to Sandy and the recovery, contact firstname.lastname@example.com.
We may be down, but not for long. The South Shore will rise again.
Superstorm Sandy left your home, your possessions, even your livelihood damaged. You've contacted your insurance company. Now what?
Dealing with the aftermath of such a disaster is, to say the least, stressful. But what happens when you have to make a claim to recover your losses? How do you know you're getting the proper reimbursement, or if you're even reporting it correctly? That's where a pubic adjuster comes in.
A public adjuster is an insurance claims specialist who advocates for you, the policyholder, in appraising and negotiating a claim. He or she is employed exclusively by you — not by your insurance company. Adjusters can help with flood, collapse, hurricane and wind damage, among other claims.
"We make sure you do your due diligence," said David Barrack, executive director of the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters. "We're still getting calls because people are frustrated with their insurance companies. With Sandy, as with Katrina, [insurance companies] are scrambling to cover their losses. We're not attorneys, and we have our own estimators."
Barrack explained that it is best to call a P.A. before your insurance company sends you a check, to see if an adjuster can help. "It's easier before it's been finalized," he said. In other words, it's more beneficial to get an adjuster involved when it is clear that the insurer will pay the claim, and the only issue is the proper identification and valuation of the loss.
Most public adjusters charge a percentage of the settlement, with the average fee between 10 and 15 percent, although some states cap the fee. Adjusters work with commercial entities as well as homeowners.
Once you've hired an adjuster, he or she will inspect the loss site, analyze the damage, review your insurance coverage and determine the replacement cost. He or she will also help you with other losses that are triggered by physical damage, including business income and mechanical breakdowns.


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ATLANTA, April 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- CryoLife, Inc.CRY -3.24% , a leading medical device and tissue processing company focused on cardiac and vascular surgery, announced today that it has received approval of its Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) for PerClot from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This approval allows CryoLife to begin its pivotal clinical trial to gain approval to commercialize PerClot in the U.S. The Company plans to begin enrollment in the trial in the second quarter of 2014, and could potentially receive pre-market approval from the FDA by the end of 2015.
PerClot is a unique hemostat composed of absorbable polysaccharide granules and is intended for use in surgical procedures as an adjunctive hemostatic device when control of capillary, venular and arteriolar bleeding by pressure, ligature and other conventional means is ineffective or impractical. PerClot has CE Mark designation, and CryoLife began distributing PerClot in several international markets in the fourth quarter of 2010.
The PerClot IDE is a prospective, multicenter, multidisciplinary, controlled clinical investigation. The study will include 320 patients across cardiac, general and urological surgical specialties. The primary objective of this investigation will be to collect clinical data concerning the safety and efficacy of PerClot versus C.R. Bard's Arista MPH Hemostat in multiple surgical disciplines when used as an adjunct to conventional means of achieving hemostasis such as pressure or ligature. The primary efficacy endpoint of this investigation will be achievement of hemostasis at the site of application at five minutes following application of the prescribed hemostatic agent. The secondary efficacy endpoint for this investigation will be hemostasis at the site of application evaluated at two minutes. Safety endpoints will include, but are not limited to, the incidence of reoperation due to bleeding, total hospitalization and procedure time, and the incidence of procedure complications and/or adverse events through final patient follow-up at three months.
"We're pleased to have received this approval, which will allow us to begin our U.S. clinical trial for PerClot," stated Steven G. Anderson, CryoLife president and chief executive officer. "Based on the anticipated enrollment and follow up timeline, we could potentially receive pre-market approval for PerClot by the end of 2015."
The U.S. hemostatic market is estimated to have been $780 million in 2013 growing to approximately $915 million by 2016, while the European market is estimated to have been $395 million in 2013 growing to approximately $468 million by 2016.[1]
About PerClot
PerClot is a medical device composed of absorbable polysaccharide granules and delivery applicators. The granules are biocompatible, non-pyrogenic and derived from purified plant starch. The granules do not contain any human or animal components. PerClot granules have a molecular structure that rapidly absorbs water, forming a gelled adhesive matrix that provides a mechanical barrier to further bleeding and results in the accumulation of platelets, red blood cells and coagulation proteins (thrombin, fibrinogen, etc.) at the site of application. PerClot is intended for use in surgical procedures as an adjunctive hemostatic device when control of capillary, venular and arteriolar bleeding by pressure, ligature and other conventional procedures is ineffective or impractical.
PerClot is ready to use, requiring no mixing and/or other components and does not need special handling or storage conditions. Preclinical evaluations, clinical studies and surgical use have shown the efficacy of PerClot to be comparable to the current popular choice of surgical hemostatic materials.
About CryoLife, Inc.
CryoLife, Inc. is a leader in medical device manufacturing and distribution and in the processing and distribution of implantable living human tissues for use in cardiac and vascular surgeries. It operates throughout the U.S. and internationally. CryoLife manufactures and distributes BioGlue® Surgical Adhesive, an FDA-approved adjunct to sutures and staples for use in adult patients in open surgical repair of large vessels. BioGlue is also CE marked in Europe for use in soft tissue repair and has received additional marketing approvals in several other countries throughout the world. CryoLife's BioFoam® Surgical Matrix is CE marked in Europe for use as an adjunct in the sealing of abdominal parenchymal tissues (liver and spleen) when cessation of bleeding by ligature or other conventional methods is ineffective or impractical. CryoLife distributes PerClot®, an absorbable powdered hemostat, in Europe and other select international countries. CryoLife, through its subsidiary Cardiogenesis Corporation, specializes in the treatment of coronary artery disease for severe angina using a laser console system and single-use, fiber-optic handpieces to perform a surgical procedure known as Transmyocardial Revascularization (TMR). CryoLife and its subsidiary Hemosphere, Inc. market the HeRO® Graft, which is a solution for end-stage renal disease in certain hemodialysis patients. CryoLife's CryoValve® SG pulmonary heart valve, processed using CryoLife's proprietary SynerGraft® technology, has FDA 510(k) clearance for the replacement of diseased, damaged, malformed or malfunctioning native or prosthetic pulmonary valves. CryoLife's CryoPatch® SG pulmonary cardiac patch has FDA 510(k) clearance for the repair or reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT), which is a surgery commonly performed in children with congenital heart defects.
Statements made in this press release that look forward in time or that express management's beliefs, expectations or hopes are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements reflect the views of management at the time such statements are made and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, estimates, and assumptions that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. These statements include those regarding the timing, plans and expectations related to the clinical testing and pre-market approval of PerClot, as well as the estimated growth of the U.S. and European hemostatic markets by 2016. Risks potentially impacting these statements include the following: There is no guarantee that the FDA will approve PerClot for distribution in the U.S. in accordance with our expected timeframe, if at all. Clinical trials are subject to a number of risks, including unanticipated reactions or results, and we may ultimately be unsuccessful in our clinical trials and/or may be unable to obtain FDA approval to market PerClot in the U.S. Our approval efforts, including clinical testing and regulatory submissions, for PerClot in the U.S. are subject to delays and cost overages, and management plans with respect to clinical testing, regulatory submissions and regulatory approvals are subject to change at any time based on the overall needs of the Company. Even if we receive approval, we may be unsuccessful in our attempts to sell PerClot in the U.S. as other competing products may have penetrated the market by that time. In addition, if we ultimately sell PerClot in the U.S., we will likely end up in a patent infringement lawsuit with C.R. Bard's Medafor, Inc. subsidiary, which will be expensive. If we lose, we may be prohibited from selling PerClot in the U.S. or may have to pay substantial royalties or damages when we sell PerClot in the U.S. Our ability to fully realize our investment in Starch Medical, Inc. is dependent on our ability to sell PerClot in the U.S. at a reasonable rate of return, which may be materially negatively impacted by any royalty that we might be required to pay. Growth of U.S. and European hemostatic markets is subject to a number of factors, including economic conditions, government regulations, patient and physician acceptance, technology advances and competition from other products. Our estimates regarding the growth of the hemostatic markets may be incorrect, and the markets may shrink, or fail to grow as expected, due to factors beyond our control, including general economic conditions. To the degree that our estimates regarding the growth of the hemostatic markets are correct, there is no guarantee that we will successfully grow sales within these markets. CryoLife's business is also subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the risk factors detailed in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our Form 10-K filing for the year ended December 31, 2013 and the Company's other SEC filings. The Company does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements.
For additional information about the company, visit CryoLife's Web site: http://www.cryolife.com .
[1] Millennium Research Group (MRG) Report – US Markets for Surgical Hemostats, Internal Tissue Sealants and Adhesion Barriers 2013 RPUS20SA13, page 47. Frost and Sullivan Report – European Tissue Sealants and Topical Hemostats Market M2F8-54 Oct 2008, Page 95.
|The Ruth Group
|D. Ashley Lee
|Nick Laudico / Zack Kubow
|Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
|646-536-7030 / 7020
|and Chief Operating Officer
|Phone: 770-419-3355
SOURCE CryoLife, Inc.


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We live in an age of lists, as media outlets attempt to rearrange all the day's events into a numbered format (even the assassination of President Kennedy). Inundated though we are, there are stories that that are better told with numbers. When The Atlantic tackled transformative technologies, it did so with a list-The 50 Greatest Breakthroughs Since the Wheel-in an all-around interesting read.
Featured Content
The Atlantic is one of the magazines I still receive in print, which is how I learned about the list, but I could've perused the technology retrospective on the magazine's web site, via its various "apps", or by following it on social media. Any/all of those media could, in turn, be accessed by my desktop computer or with smart phone/tablet. And all these myriad options, in a sense, can be traced back to the magazine's choice for the No. 1 technology since the wheel:
1. The printing press, 1430s
The printing press was nominated by 10 of our 12 panelists, five of whom ranked it in their top three. Dyson described its invention as the turning point at which "knowledge began freely replicating and quickly assumed a life of its own."
Information is so easily disseminated now that it's hard to wrap our heads around how revolutionary Johannes Gutenberg's movable-type printing press was at the time. Today, however, we're in the midst of similarly transformative explosion of information, as the proliferation of "smart" devices places networked computers in our pockets. Forget the Gutenberg Bible, Google recently got the legal go ahead for its project to create a "comprehensive, searchable, virtual card catalog of all books in all languages." How's that for "freely replicating" knowledge?
Against this backdrop, Gardner Business Media, Inc., publisher of Plastics Technology, is undertaking its annual survey of manufacturing professionals media usage. The goal:
An industry-wide survey that will define how manufacturing professionals, like you, are accessing and sharing information. More specifically, where and how you are learning about new technologies; discovering new manufacturing processes; and staying up-to-date on industry events and developments.
Help us understand how you consume media (and by completing the survey see how your peers stay on top of the industry) and take the survey today.


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Traveling the World One Wing at a Time
"Each of the 46 flavors spanning the international scene, from Jamaica (Fire Jerk, Rum BBQ) to Italy (Parmesan, Tomato Basil Pesto), is a study in balance and contrast."
Chicago's Wings Around the World is like the Baskin Robbins of Chicken Wings. When they opened in January of 2007, they had 34 flavors of wings. A year and a half later, another twelve have been added to honor their motto, "Flavors to Infinity". Abeng Stuart founded the spot and concocted the sauces with his mother Lorna Greene and his manager Andre Palmer.
What's crazy is that this isn't some spot where they throw chicken in the deep fryer and haphazardly toss the half soggy/half crunchy overcrowded fried chicken with a drippy Franks Red Hot Sauce and margarine glaze. Each of the 46 flavors spanning the international scene, from Jamaica (Fire Jerk, Rum BBQ) to Italy (Parmesan, Tomato Basil Pesto), is a study in balance and contrast. The selection is a thoughtful cornucopia of glazes and seasonings spiked with the right amount of heat, sour, and sweet. The chicken itself is uniformly crunchy if deep fried, or soft, pliant, and smoky if you get the wings grilled. Of course, on this stretch of 35th street lined with a Churches, Popeyes, KFC, and a local JJ Fish and Chicken chain, you gotta bring the goods if you want to survive more than a year.
Wings Around the World is one of those places you wish you'd planned for, but instead find yourself hankering for at 8 o'clock at night while watching a Sox or Cub's game, and you thank god you have TIVO so you can pause the action and make the trip for some game time snacks without missing a play. Since the spot has opened, I've driven 31 blocks and taken 20 minutes out of my day to make the trip more than a handful of times, usually late at night.
I haven't worked my way through all the flavors, but there are some favorites. Garlic Parmesan features a buttery shiny glaze with chunky sautéed bits of garlic and Parmesan crust. A bite of rum bbq feels like doing a tasty shot of intense dark sipping rum while chowing down on a good plate of sauce slathered ribs. The spicy buffalo have all of the red pepper tang you'd expect, but there's also a mouth puckering lemony zing that no other local Buffalo wing has. Masala wings feature a slow ginger and curry burn, while honey teriyaki makes for a nice sweet dessert wing, if you will, without being too cloying.
Wings Around the World
Address: 321 E 35th St, Chicago, IL 60616 (map)
Phone: 312-326-6930
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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10 Beauty Tips I'd Tell My Younger Self
With age comes wisdom, and with wisdom comes 20/20 hindsight, and with hindsight comes "damn, I should have eaten more damn kale!". When I think about my beauty habits from my younger days, I literally cringe. I'm hoping my list of tips will help peeps (even if it's only one person) to aspire to better health and beauty inside and out.
- Always wash your makeup off before going to bed! Damn, I used to fall asleep with makeup (including lots of glitter) all the time in college. I used nasty products back then too, that were no doubt chemical laden, pore-clogging, and Satanic. I remember that nastenstein greasy feeling of waking up in the morning with Picasso-eque, smeary mascara face. No bueno. Even if you only spend 2 minutes wiping the grime off your mug, DO IT.
- Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Can you believe I didn't start using moisturizer on my face until I was in my mid 20s? I'm obsessed with anti-aging beauty products and keeping fine lines and wrinks from sproutin' on mah face, but I committed this HUGE beauty sin for years. Ugh. Now I slather straight up argan oil all over my face before bed. I wake up with super soft, yummy skin.
- Have at least one makeup-free day a week. Give your pores a chance to recoup and breathe. I usually allow myself to look like an ogre on Sundays. My hubs swears I look beautiful without makeup (he's a keeper), so I feel comfy looking like a homeless person around the house.
- Only buy vegan and cruelty-free beauty products with clean ingredients. Read labels (just like you would for food), and buy products that don't contain toxins, carcinogens, funky chemicals, parabens, and other nasty preservatives (which unfortunately, are in most conventional beauty products).
- Get yo' Zzzzzz! Cat naps, disco naps, take them ALL! Sleep deprivation causes dark circles under the eyes, crankiness, stress, etc. Sleep is just as important as exercise and eating well. TRUST.
- Drink water, betch! And lots of it! Staying hydrated helps keep your skin and hair in tip-top shape! It's also rumored to help with weight loss ← BONUS!!
- Stay out of the sun! Yeah, my name is Sunny, and I hate the sun (don't judge). I don't mind soakin' up teensy bits here and there for some vitamin D synthesis, but that's about it. If you ever spot me out and about, I'll be rockin shades that cover my entire face and sun hats. Also, now that I'm older and wiser, I've learned to wear SPF year-round (those UVA and UVB rays don't go away in the winter, peeps)!
- Eat more fresh fruits and veggies! Also stay away from refined sugar like it's the devil! I wish I was born vegan. Man, I ate some nasty, nasty sh*t in college. I had a love affair with fast food, Little Debbie Satan snacks, pizza, and Nutella. Yep, that about sums up my college diet. I would have looked way foiner and had hella more energy had I eaten some raw broccoli and whipped up some spirulina-acai smoothies!
- Exercise! And I'm not referring to vegan pizza to the mouth arm reps. 😉 Find ways to burn calories that are actually fun like dancing, Zumba, XBox Kinect, etc. If you love grunty workouts and sweating on a treadmill with weights – power to ya. Just find something that works for you.
- Love your quirks and imperfections. We ladies can be so judgmental and unforgiving when it comes to our looks. Embrace your freckles, moles, scars, sexy-ass curves (wobbly bits and all), EVERYTHING. A happy, accepting you is an attractive you!
What are some of the beauty tips you'd share with your younger self?
About Sunny (Sunny's Profile)Longtime vegan, hardcore compassionate beauty junkie, serious cake aficionado, and lover of all things floofy and sparkly! If there's something in particular you'd like me to review, drop me a line at email@example.com. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Google +.
Filed in: Vegan Beauty • vegan skin care
Comments (9)
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thIS WAS AMAZING YOU SHOULD ALSO CHECKOUT MINE 🙂
I agree with you with all of them
I agree with all these tips!! I have never put my argan oil on my face. I always used it for my hair. Thank-you!
These are great tips! I've successfully converted my pantry and wardrobe to vegan. The next big step is my make up stash! Any foundations you recommend?
You said it! And it's never too late to start, as this 49 year old, nearly-2-years-vegan can attest. The changes I've seen since starting regular exercise, and most especially going vegan, have been nothing short of AMAZING! Plus, there's the bennie of persuading my 75 year old mother to go vegan, and seeing her absolutely thrive! Power to the Kale…


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When I swung a right onto the ramp to the 101 freeway in Los Angeles, my first time behind the wheel in the City of Angels, I wasn't scared. Despite the fact that I live in New York and rarely drive, I was convinced I could handle myself alongside the depraved Angelenos burning rubber down endless pavement, through a phalanx of slower-moving vehicles, weaving to and fro at unimaginable speeds. Bret Easton Ellis famously opened his novel Less Than Zero by saying, "People are afraid to merge on freeways in Los Angeles." I would not be afraid to merge.
But when I finally reached the freeway, I was met by a horror more terrifying than a high-speed crash: bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Such is the nature of experiencing Los Angeles roads as a New York resident — it's total gridlock until you get total freedom. The occasional backup on Houston Street has nothing on a massive jam on the freeway, where going a few miles can take you an hour. And that's a very precise approximation of hell. But once you find yourself on the PCH or the 101 midday with zero cars, it's an exhilaration unmatched by anything back home. You can clear the length of Manhattan in a matter of minutes.
I tasted freedom for the first time when I floored it on a bend on the 101, zipping by cars en route to Venice — top down and Rick Ross blasting out of the speakers. I can't recommend it enough (though it helps to be driving a sleek little Jaguar F-TYPE convertible with an orange paint job. If you, like many of the people who've walked by, are thinking "Hold on, how can this guy have that car?" well, you can probably figure it out by reading here). After a few miles at insane speeds, adrenaline pumping, I turned into the heart of the Venice Beach canal district and floated over bridges, the ocean to my right. Then I ate some tacos that changed my life.
I blasted up the PCH to Malibu, great green cliffs sprouting sky-high on one side, the glimmering Pacific on the other. I crawled down Hollywood Boulevard watching the tourists watching me, rolling by the Chinese Theatre and Musso & Frank's and the other grand monuments to celluloid. I pushed the thing up and up into the hills of Laurel Canyon, listening to Fleetwood Mac's Tusk as bungalows emerged above and below. I took an impulsive left and went through Beachwood, the Hollywood sign looming overhead, peeking out after every other curve. Palm trees line every block. It's glorious.
And then there's the traffic. Nothing inspires equal parts rage, confusion and existential anguish as a line of exhaust-spewing cars on the freeway, nothing moving for miles. You're stuck in a way that seems permanent. Especially in a car this nice, it's a tragedy to be inching ahead instead of zooming forward with abandon. The top speed on this guy? That would be 160 miles per hour. Not that we would even take it that fast on the freeway, though, right? Right. And the acceleration? Zero to sixty in four seconds. Let that sink in. Exactly.
These joys and disappointment are, of course, nothing new for the Angelenos who have to experience them as part of their daily routine. But for a New Yorker in town for a week, driving in LA for the first time, it's all new.
Perhaps its best in a city like this to just drive for the sake of driving, and never get hung up about how long it's taking. Of course, this can only happen with the luxury of excess free time, but if you can carve some out, stress-free L.A. driving is a gem. There's seemingly infinite space here, and for every long stretch of strip malls and liquor stores, there's insane routes through forests, by the water, or in the mountains, all easily within reach.
I may not be the best driver in the world, but I can handle myself behind the wheel in Los Angeles, and that's a great satisfaction. Contra Bret Easton Ellis, I'm not afraid to merge.
Image by Michael Erazo-Kase
Nate Freeman is the Editor-in-Chief of Good To Be Bad. His writing has been published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Observer.
Read more Good To Be Bad here.
This post is a sponsored collaboration between Jaguar and Studio@Gawker.